Toy



' L. MARX Dec. 2, 1930.

TOY

Filed March 15, 1929 RNEYS Loui Patented Dec.2,1930 V 1,733 511 UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE Louis MARX, on NEW YORK, iv. Y. i

i v l v TOY Application filed March 15, 1929. Serial No. 347,385.

This invention relates to toys and more Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the toy in sucparticularly to a toy fowl arranged to lay cessive positions, showing the pecking and eggs. I r v propulsive movements thereof; j V

The primary object of my invention re- Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken sides in the provision of a toy fowl which longitudinally through the toy; simulates the laying of an egg by the fowl. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken in'the A further object of the invention is to arplane of the line 3-3 in Fig.2; and V range for the laying of a plurality 'of eggs Fig. i is a detail of the motor mechanism. singly, successively, and at appropriately Referring to the drawings, and'more par spaced intervals of time. p 1 7 ticularly to Fig. lthereof, it willbeseen that 55 'In U. S. Patent No. 1,500,590, issued July a toy fowl, constructed in accordance with 8, 1924, I have described a toy fowl so ara preferred form of my invention, comranged that the body thereof oscillates about prises a body 2, oscillatablymounted on the leg members in a manner resembling leg members 4, and provided with an egg '1 pecking or food seeking. The said toy is storage magazine 6 and release or ejector &

also so arranged thatthe upward oscilla mechanism 8 therefor, and adriving motor tion is much more rapid than'the downward 10 arranged to oscillate the body 2 about oscillation, which causes the toyto be pro the leg members .4 andto cause ejection of pelled along the supporting surface on which the eggs -from the magazine and out of'the it is resting. One object of the present inbody of the toy. 1

vent-ion is to improve and to simplify the The toy fowl includes a compartment, 6, mechanism of such a toy. 'A further object for holding an egg and means, 8, for causing of this invention is to provide such atoy with the release of the egg from the compartment egg laying apparatus of the nature already so that the fowl seems'to lay the egg. The J mentioned. A still further object of the incompartment, 6, may beloaded with a num 70 vention is to so arrangethe'bodyoscillating ber of eggs, in which case they preferably mechanism and the egg laying apparatus are discharged singly, successively, and at that both may be operated from a single spaced intervalsof time ofirelatively long driving motor. Still another object of the duration, in order to increase the realism of present invention is to so relate the egg laythe performance.

ingoperation to the bodyoscillatingm'ove- Examining the toy more closely .it will be ment that the latter occurs much more frescen that it'has been exemplified in thepresquently than the former, that is to say, they cut instance by a goose, the body 2 being interval of time between the laying of sucsuitably shaped and decorated to resemble cessive eggs is considerably 'greater than the this species of egg laying fowl. The body 30 period of thepecking movement. includes a magazine 6, preferably in the form To the accomplishment of the foregoing of an upright cylinder in which one or more and such other objects as will hereinafter toyeggs'may be carried in vertically superappear, my invention-consists in the elements posed relation. There is an opening for the of the toy and their relation one to the other, insertion of eggs into the top of the maga- 85 as hereinafter are more particularly dezine, and a discharge opening atthe bottom scribed and sought to be defined in the of the magazine, preferably formed by cutclaims; reference being had to theaccomting away the rear half of the magazineadpanying drawings which showa preferred jacent its closed lower end, as is shown at l2 embodiment of my invention, and in which: iii-F g 1, 2, andlowermost egg :1 99

the magazine cannot pass therethru because of the restraining influence of a resilient retainer or light spring member 14, positioned in the path of egress of the egg, and, of course, the remainder of the eggs are held by the lowermost egg.

A slot 16 is cut through the forward portion of the magazine near its bottom, and a reciprocable plunger or ejector 8 reciprocates transversely of the magazine through the slot 16, thereby pressing the lowermost in the magazine past the retainer 14 and thence out of the body ofthe fowl. The sheet metal sides of the body are bent in at 18, just in back of the discharge opening of the magazine, in order to permit release of the egg from the body of the toy.

It is apparent that an egg placed in the magazine 6 is there held until the ejector plunger 8 is reciprocated across the bottom of the magazine, when it is ejected from the magazine and seems to be laid by the fowl. Even if the magazine is loaded with a plurality of eggs the reciprocation of the ejector plunger 8 causes them to be laid singly, for as the plunger forces the lowermost egg past the retaining spring 14 it prevents the remainder of the eggs from dropping down to the bottom of the magazine until the plunger is fully retracted therefrom. The eggs are therefore laid at spaced intervals of timecorresponding to the frequency with which the plunger 8 is recipro-cated.

The drive mechanism which I prefer to employ for the ejector plunger is so closely interrelated with the driving means for causing the bodily oscillation and propulsion of the toy that these mechanisms may best be described together, although it will be ap preciated that a toy embodying the egg laying property may be constructed without being simultaneously designed for the peel:- ing action.

The body 2 is supported on leg members 4, the lower ends of which are fixed to enlarged feet 20, which rest on a supporting surface. Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing, if the body 2 is oscillated slowly about the leg members 4 it will assume the positions 2 and 2 alternately. However, in accordance with my invention the upward oscillation is made quite rapid, smart, and forceful, compared to the downward oscillation, which causes the toy to move forward to the position 2", and-so successive oscillations cause the toy to progress along the supporting surface in a realistic manner. Such a propulsive movement is disclosed in my earlier patent already referred to, but the mechanical means for obtaining the desired oscillation and travel have been simplified and improved herein, and therefore will be described at greater length.

Referring to Figs. 2,. 3, and 4, the leg members 4 have at their upper ends a rela tively rigid extension 24 carrying an integral yoke in which a transverse horizontal slot 26 is provided. The body 2 is pivoted to and oscillatably supported on the leg members 4 by a spindle 28, and this spindle is so located that the extension 24 and slot 26 are located and concealed within the body of the toy. The body 2 also carries a motor 10, here illustrated as a spring motor having a torsional drive spring 30, one end of which is applied to a main drive gear 32, and the other end of which is connected to a ratchet wheel 34 fixed to a winding shaft and key 36. The winding ratchet 34 is held against the spring torque by a compound pawl or detent 38.

The motor 10 includes a crank shaft 40 which is rotated by the driving gear 82 through suitable step-up gearing including in this instance the pinion 42, the gear 44, and the pinion 46. The crank pin 48 of the crankshaft is made relatively long and passes through the slot 26 at the top of the extension 24 of the leg members 4. Upon rotation of the crank shaft 40 the transverse component of the crank movement is lost in the slot 26, but the longitudinal component causes the position of the body 2 relative to the leg members 4 to vary, and so causes the body to oscillate vertically about the leg members. The consequent axial movement of the crank shaft 40 relative to the extension 24 is permitted by reciprocation of the elongated crank pin 48 in the slot 26.

In order to cause the toy to travel along its supporting surface resilient means are arranged to oppose the downward oscillation and to assist the upward oscillation of the toy. In the present case a lug 50 is provided at the top of the leg member extension 24, and between this lug and a forward point in the body of thetoy, such as the point 52 on the motor frame, there is stretched a ten sion spring 54. This tends to keep the body in raised position, and opposes the downward oscillation thereof, but serves to assist and accelerate the upward oscillation thereof, and thereby causes the desired pro pulsion of the toy, in the manner illustrated by the successive positions 2, 2, and 2" thereof shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

It has already been suggested that the egg laying operation should preferably take place at spaced intervals of time considerably longer in duration than the period of oscillation of the toy. A motor mechanism particularly applicable to this purpose is here disclosed, and comprises an intermediate crank shaft 60, which, owing to its location in the gear train of the driving motor, is rotated at a much slower rate than the final crank shaft 40 which serves to oscillate the body of the toy. The crank pin 62 of the crank shaft is confined within atrans- *verseslot 64 in a longitudinally recip'rocable member 66, guidedinsupports This sliding member 66 jlies forthe most part along the bottom of the motor frame, but is raised at the-portion carrying the slot 64 in order-tobring the slot at thesmne level as the crank pin 62, which necessarily' is above the bottom of themotor frame because the latter constitutes one of the main bearings At the rear of the'slide 66 is ofthe crank shaft .60.; The slide-66 is provided. with adongitudinal slot 70-in1ivhich the final crank shaft-"4L0 islooated; thereby permitting reciprocation of the slide 66 even though the latter extends'towar'd 'therear of the toy beyond the crank shaft'tO.

1e'jector plunger 8, so that rotation of the fora-ilk shaft 60, causes reciprocation of the plunger 8, and thus causes ejection of eggs from "the magazine and out of the body of the fowl'inthe manner previously outlined.

, Because of the great difference in the rotative speeds oftlie *cr anlrshafts aO and 60 slow rate,

the eggs are laid at the desired relatively i From the foregoingdescriptidn it will be appreciated that I have provided anuegg laying toy, a pecking toy; and alself-propelling toy. Obviously, the egg laying toy and'mechanism therefor may be used pendently of the improved peckinganjd pro- ,pulsi-ve mechanism set forth,,and vice Versa. comh'ining both mechanlsms Ihave arranged the time sequence to lmprove the realism of operationpby increasing the i terval of time between the'laying of successive eggs, relative to the period of oscilelation, and in spite "ofmeetingthis requirement I have employed' aminimum of parts in the combined toy; V 1

It will be apparent that while I- have shown and described my invention in-a Apreferred form, many changes T and modifica- I tions may, .bemade in the structuredisclosed without departing from the spirit'of the 1nvention, defined in thefollowing claims.

'I claim: f 1. A readily movable-toy fowl comprising astorage magazine "for holding .toyj'eggsf, a

spring. driven motor in, said fowl, and means driven thereby for oausing'the successive and" single ejection of the eggs from the magazine "at spaced intervalsoftime, in representation of the laying of 'eggs by the fowl. i Y

2. readily movable toy fowl comprising a body formed in representation. of a fowl, legs supporting said body,..af storage magazine for holding an eggiwithinthegbody of the fowl, a spring driven motormounted within the body of the fowl, and;;ejector mechanism actuated by-themotorfor ejectthe rear portion of the bodyof simulate laying of:the,egg;- 71' ingthe egg from the magazine and out of the: fowl Fto fowl seems to lay-the eggs;

3. A toyfowlcomprisinga body formed in representation of a fowl, a storage'ma'gazine for holding a toy egg within the body of the fowl, a motor mounted within'the body of the fowl, resilient retaining means,

interposed in the path of the egg from the -magazine, and a 'reciprocable plunger actuated by the motor for forcing the egg downwardly past the retaining means and out of the body'so that the fowl seems tolay the,

egg. 4; A toy fowl comprising a body formed in representation of a fowl, a storage magazine for holding a supplyof toy eggs within the body ofthefowl, a motor mounted with in the body of the fowl, resilient retaining means interposed in the path of the eggsfrom the magazine, and a 'reciprocable.plunger actuated by the motor for singly and "suc- 'cessively ejecting the eggs at spaced-intervals of time from the magazine downwardly past the retaining means and out ofthe body so that the fowl seemsto lay the eggs;

5. i A toy'fowl comprising abody-formed'in representation of a fowl, a; verticalstorage magazine for holding a supply of toy eggs in superposed relation within the body of the fowl, an opening for the insertion of eggs into the top of the magazine, a discharge opening in the side near the bottom-of the magazine, a light spring retainer interposed in the path ofthe eggs from the magazine, a spring driven motor mounted within the body of the fowl, anda. transversely reciprocable plunger actuated by the motor for singlyand successivelypressing upon and forcing the then lowermost egg from the magazine past i a storage magazine for holding anegg withinthe body, release mechanism therefor, and means coupling the 'motor'to the sa d. means and to the release mechanism for causing the body to move along the supporting surface andthe fowl to lay the egg. I

73A toy fowl coi'nprising a body formed in representation of a fowl, a. plurality of leg members on which said body -is moyably mounted, a motor within the body, a storage magazinefor holding an=egg within the body,

' release mechanism-tl1erefor, 'and means coupling the motor to the leg membersand to the release mechanism for causing the body to move and the fowl to lay the egg.

in representation ofa fowl,'a plurality of leg members on whicli'f said body' is oscillatably mounted, a motor within the body, a storage magazine forholding'toy eggs within the body, release mechanism therefor, and means coupling the motorto the leg members and to body formed i 8. Atoy'fowl'comprising a body formed Pal the release mechanism for causing the body to oscillate relative to the leg members and for causing the fowl to singly and-successively lay the eggs.

9. A toy fowl comprising a body formed in representation ofa fowl, a plurality of leg members on which said body is oscillatably mounted, a spring driven motor within the body, a verticalstorage magazine for holding toy eggs in superposed relation within the body, an opening for the insertion of eggs into the top of the magazine, release mechanism at the bottom of the magazine, and means coupling the motor to the leg members and to the release mechanism for causing .the body to oscillate relative to the leg members and for causing the fowl to singly and successively lay the eggs. i

10. A toy fowl comprising a body, leg members on which the body is movably mounted, a motor mounted within the body and having a main drive shaft and a pair of crank shafts geared thereto, a magazine within the body for holding a supply of toy eggs, ejector means fo releasing the eggs from the magazine, means coupling one of the crank shafts to the leg members in order to cause movement of the body, and means coupling the other crank shaft to the ejector means in order to eject eggs fromthe magazme.

11. A toy fowl comprising a body, leg members on whichthe body is mounted for oscillatingmovement, a motor mounted within-the body member and having a main drive shaft, an intermediate crank shaft, and a final crank shaft all geared in increasing step-up ratio, a magazine withinthe body for holding a supply of toy eggs,.e eetor means for releasing the eggs from the magazine, means coupling the final crank sh aft to the leg members in order to cause oscillation of the body ofthe fowl, and means coupling the intermediate crank shaft to the ejector means in order to eject eggs from the magazine at intervals of time greater than the period of the oscillation of the body. l

12. A toy fowl comprising a body, leg members on which the body is mounted for downward oscillating movement, a spring .tendmg to keep the body in upward position, a motor mounted within the body and having a mam drive shaft, an intermediate crank shaft, and a final crank shaft all geared in increasing step-up ratio, a magazine within the body for holding a supply of toy eggs, ejector means for releasing the eggs singly from the magazine, means coupling the final crank shaft to the leg members in order to cause in co-operation with the springa slow downward and rapid upward pecking action of the fowl accompanied bypropulsion along its supporting surface,'and means coupling the intermediate crank shaft to the ejector means inorder to eject eggs from the magazine at intervals of time greater than the period of the pecking action.

13. A toy fowl comprising a body, leg members on which the body is mounted for oscillating movement, a. spring driven motor ,4

mounted within the body member and havmg a mam drive shaft, an intermediate crank shaft, and a final crank shaft all geared in increasing step-up ratio, a vertical magazine within the body for holding a supply of toy eggs from the magazine at intervals of time greater thanthe perlod of the oscillation of the body.

14;. A toy fowl comprising a body, leg members having elongated foot portions at their lower ends and a rigid extension including a horizontal transverse slot at their:

upper ends, means for so mounting the body oscillatably on the leg portions that the extension and slot are located inside of the body, and a spring motor unit including a drive shaft, an upright crank shaft, and

suitable step-up gearing therebetween, fixed within the body, the crank pin of said crank shaft being relatively long and located within the aforementioned slot, whereby rotation of the crank'causes vertical.oscillation of the-1:100

body.

'15. A toy fowl comprising a body, leg members having elongated foot portions at their lower ends and a rigid extension including a horizontal transverse slot at their i upper ends, means for so mounting the body oscillatably on the leg portions that the extension and slot are located inside of the body, a spring motor unit including a drive shaft, an upright crank shaft, and suitablestep-up gearing therebetween, fixed within the body, the crank pin of said crank shaft being relatively long and located within the aforementioned slot, whereby rotation of the crank causes vertical oscillation of the body 1 5 on theleg members, and resilient means arranged to cause the resulting pecking action to take place slowly in a downward direction and rapidly in an upward direction.

16. A toy fowl comprising a body, leg

members having elongated foot portions at their lower ends and a rigid extension inclnding a. horizontal transverse slot at their upper ends, means for so mounting the body oscillatably on the leg portions that the ex- .125

tension and slot are located inside of the body, a spring motor unit including a drive shaft, an upright crank shaft, and suitable step-up gearing .therebetween, fixed within the body, the crank pin of saidcrank shaft being relatively long and located within the aforementioned slot, whereby rotation of the crank causes vertical oscillation of the body on the leg members, and a tension spring connected between the upward extension of the leg members and a forward portion of the body in order to cause the oscillation to take place slowly in a downward direction and rapidly in an upward direction, whereby the resulting pecking action causes a forward propulsion of the fowl along the supporting surface on which it is resting.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York.

' LOUIS MARX. 

